RootstockLabs
RootstockLabs builds and operates Rootstock, an EVM-compatible Bitcoin layer-2 sidechain secured by over 80% of Bitcoin's hash rate via merged mining, serving developers, institutional Bitcoin holders, treasury companies, and exchanges with smart-contract, yield-vault, and stablecoin infrastructure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGibraltar, Gibraltar
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What RootstockLabs does
RootstockLabs Limited, incorporated in Gibraltar (company number 116697), builds and operates Rootstock, an EVM-compatible Bitcoin layer-2 sidechain launched in 2018 that combines Bitcoin's proof-of-work security with Ethereum-style smart-contract programmability. The protocol is secured by over 80% of Bitcoin's hash rate through merged mining and has maintained 100% uptime since mainnet launch (3,000+ days as of mid-2026). At the heart of the stack sits PowPeg, a bridge that keeps BTC custody fully on-chain using Ledger HSMs and proof-of-work-enforced withdrawals; the bridge has recorded zero breaches since 2016. The supporting RIF (Rootstock Infrastructure Framework) token, launched in 2019, powers ecosystem governance and developer incentives, while Atlas — released April 2026 — provides a unified bridging interface covering BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT and six additional assets, with custody integrations through Fordefi and Utila.
The company monetizes the protocol through a combination of on-chain transaction fees (~$331 daily protocol revenue reported as of June 2026), institutional ecosystem services tied to BTC and stablecoin yield vaults (BTC yields up to 5.5%, stablecoin yields up to 15%), and partnership-driven distribution including Paystand's USDb stablecoin and Bitwage's payroll rails. Customers span Bitcoin treasury companies, public miners, hedge funds, family offices, custodians, and select regional exchanges — with named anchor deployments from Mercado Bitcoin ($20M+ in January 2026), Midas (mHyperBTC vault, $1.7B+ lifetime issued assets), Mellow, Animoca Brands Japan, and Hypernative. The network now hosts over 200 applications with $269M+ TVL and captures roughly 30% of all BTCFi activity.
RootstockLabs is a fully remote organization with approximately 140 employees across multiple jurisdictions, including a CXO bench with prior experience at Bain & Company, Worldpay, OSRAM, Siemens, IBM, and Mercado Libre, and a board that includes a Crypto Hall of Fame inductee (Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar, co-founder and CEO), pioneering DLT legal counsel (Joey Garcia), former Skype leadership (Michael Jackson), and an AI-focused deep-tech investor (Antoine Blondeau). Co-founder Sergio Demian Lerner is a leading Bitcoin protocol security researcher who has disclosed 9 Bitcoin and 5 Ethereum vulnerabilities.
RootstockLabs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RootstockLabs
- Legal name
- RootstockLabs Limited
- Website
- https://rootstocklabs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- RootstockLabs builds and operates Rootstock, an EVM-compatible Bitcoin layer-2 sidechain secured by over 80% of Bitcoin's hash rate via merged mining, serving developers, institutional Bitcoin holders, treasury companies, and exchanges with smart-contract, yield-vault, and stablecoin infrastructure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RootstockLabs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bitcoin Layer 2 Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Stablecoins & On-Chain Money (fiat-backed, crypto-backed, algorithmic; issuance/redemption) (FSAPAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-Chain Payments & Stablecoin Infrastructure (Issuance, Rails, Treasury) (FSAGAMAD), Treasury Management & Corporate Crypto Yield Programs (FSADAHAL), Settlement, Reconciliation & Merchant Treasury Tools (Crypto) (FSADAIAK), Mint/Redeem, Issuance APIs & Treasury Operations Platforms (FSADADAE), Crypto Payments & Stablecoin Settlement Platforms (BPAMAFAL)
Keywords
Where RootstockLabs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gibraltar
- HQ country
- Gibraltar
Offices1 record
Markets served
RootstockLabs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Protocol Fees / Transaction Fees: Rootstock generates revenue through transaction fees on its network. Daily protocol revenue was reported at approximately $331 as of June 2026. The platform has processed 25 million transactions across 200,000 wallets.
- Institutional Ecosystem Services: Services targeting institutional demand for Bitcoin DeFi including BTC yield vaults, on-chain lending products, and structured financial products. Revenue derived from fees on institutional BTC vaults (BTC yields up to 5.5%, stablecoin yields up to 15%) and protocol integrations.
- Stablecoin Infrastructure: Partnership with Paystand to launch USDb stablecoin on Bitcoin Rails, targeting business payments including accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and treasury operations. Fee revenue from payment processing on the network.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
RootstockLabs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RootstockLabs builds and maintains Rootstock, a Bitcoin sidechain that combines Bitcoin's security through merged mining with Ethereum's EVM-compatible smart contract programmability. The company develops the PowPeg bridge, Atlas bridging interface, RIF infrastructure token, and institutional BTC/stablecoin yield vaults that together enable developers, fintechs, and institutions to deploy Bitcoin-secured decentralized finance applications.
Product overview
RootstockLabs builds a multi-product portfolio centered on Bitcoin DeFi infrastructure. The core offering is Rootstock, Bitcoin's Finance Layer — an EVM-compatible layer-2 sidechain secured by Bitcoin's merged-mined Proof-of-Work with 100% uptime since 2018. The RIF token serves as the ecosystem's infrastructure and governance token. Atlas is the unified user interface that consolidates bridging and asset management (BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT) into a single workflow. PowPeg is the underlying bridge infrastructure providing on-chain Bitcoin custody with proof-of-work withdrawal enforcement. On top of this base, the company offers institutional yield products (BTC and USD Vaults), a bug bounty program via Immunefi, and publishes the Institutional BTCFi Report. The ecosystem encompasses 200+ partners including DeFi protocols (Solv, Pell, Midas, LayerBank), DEXs (Uniswap), custody providers (Fireblocks, ForDeFi, Utila, Cobo), and cross-chain messaging (LayerZero).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rootstock: Bitcoin's Finance Layer - a smart contract platform secured by Bitcoin's proof-of-work through merge mining.
- RIF (Rootstock Infrastructure Framework)
Products and services
- Rootstock Bitcoin's Finance Layer and EVM-compatible smart contract platform - a layer-2 sidechain secured by Bitcoin's Proof-of-Work through merged mining. Provides EVM-compatible smart contracts secured by over 80% of Bitcoin's hash rate, enabling developers to build decentralized applications on Bitcoin.
- RIF (Rootstock Infrastructure Framework) Rootstock's infrastructure and governance token supporting ecosystem adoption through incentives, interoperability, and shared infrastructure protocols for developers building on Bitcoin.
- PowPeg Bridge Bitcoin bridge infrastructure that keeps BTC custody fully on-chain with zero breaches since 2016. Keys are sealed in Ledger HSMs and BTC never leaves Bitcoin, providing fully auditable escrow enforced by proof-of-work.
- Atlas A unified interface that consolidates multiple Bitcoin bridging options and ten supported assets (BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT and others) into one streamlined workflow, replacing the prior multi-step process of independently comparing bridges and managing separate wallet interactions.
- BTC and USD Yield Vaults Institutional yield products on Rootstock: BTC Vault offers BTC-denominated yield accrual with strategy execution by approved licensed managers and real-time position transparency. USD Vault provides dollar-denominated on-chain yield with MPC custody workflows and policy guardrails for qualified investors.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% of all BTCFi activity happens on Rootstock
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use RootstockLabs
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
RootstockLabs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature8 records
RootstockLabs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Xapo BankminorCo-hosted Bitcoin & Business Breakfast at BTC Prague 2026 with RootstockLabs. Focused four-hour gathering bringing together miners, infrastructure builders, and Bitcoin-native finance teams.
- HypernativeminorRisk management partnership. Co-hosted institutional roundtable with Mercado Bitcoin and Hypernative at Merge São Paulo focusing on risk management, compliance, and operational needs.
- PaystandminorPaystand launched USDb stablecoin built on Rootstock and Blockstream. Targeting business payments including accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and treasury operations across Paystand's network of 1+ million businesses.
- MidascoreLaunched mHyperBTC on Rootstock in February 2026 - institutional vault tracking BTC-denominated market-neutral strategy managed by Hyperithm (Tokyo and Seoul). Reports issuing over $1.7 billion in assets.
- MellowcoreMellow launched institutional BTC vaults on Rootstock in January 2026 with Tyr (alternative fund manager). Smart contract primitives enable capital to operate within clear strategy frameworks with built-in oversight.
- Mercado BitcoincoreLargest digital asset exchange in Latin America deployed over $20 million across on-chain products on Rootstock in January 2026. Using Rootstock to settle tokenized credit with Bitcoin in Brazil/South America, targeting $100M issuance by Q2.
- Animoca Brands JapancorePartnership to bring Bitcoin-native financial solutions to Japanese corporate and institutional markets. Supporting corporate adoption of cryptoassets compliant with Japan's regulatory environment and governance standards.
- FireblockscoreLeading institutional digital asset custody provider integrated with Rootstock ecosystem. Enables hedge funds, family offices, and treasury teams to deploy Bitcoin into smart contracts while maintaining institutional governance and security standards.
- ForDeficoreInstitutional custody integration for Rootstock ecosystem. Provides secure multi-party computation (MPC) custody workflows for institutional Bitcoin access.
- UtilacoreInstitutional wallet solution supporting Bitcoin PSBT and native BTC-to-rBTC peg-ins via Rootstock PowPeg. Enables secure execution of complex multi-party transactions and seamless path to move Bitcoin into Rootstock's smart contract environment.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
RootstockLabs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Babylon: Bitcoin staking and restaking protocol enabling BTC to secure other chains via its protocol. Competes with Rootstock for BTCFi mindshare, particularly for the yield generation and treasury use cases Rootstock targets, but with a different security architecture.
- Citrea: Bitcoin ZK-rollup L2 with EVM compatibility. Emerging direct competitor in the Bitcoin L2 smart contract space, though with a different security model (ZK proofs) than Rootstock's merge-mining approach.
- Botanix Labs: Bitcoin L2 with EVM compatibility using a 'Spiderchain' architecture for two-way peg. Directly comparable to Rootstock as a competing Bitcoin L2 with smart contracts, targeting DeFi use cases.
Broad incumbents
- Polygon: Major EVM-compatible L2 ecosystem with broad DeFi and enterprise adoption. Atlas's planned Polygon integration suggests overlap in target developer and user bases, though Polygon is Ethereum-rooted rather than Bitcoin-secured.
- Solana: High-throughput L1 with mature DeFi and payments ecosystem. Competes for the same institutional capital and developer mindshare as Rootstock, particularly for yield products and stablecoin payment rails.
- Optimism: Major optimistic rollup with EVM compatibility and a growing DeFi ecosystem via the Superchain. Comparable to Rootstock in offering EVM-equivalent smart contracts but on Ethereum-derived security rather than Bitcoin's.
- Lightning Network: Bitcoin's primary payments L2 using state channels. Competes with Rootstock in the Bitcoin payments narrative but serves micropayments/streaming use cases rather than DeFi; the Paystand USDb partnership positions Rootstock to compete more directly here.
- Arbitrum: Leading EVM-compatible optimistic rollup with the largest L2 DeFi TVL. Atlas's planned Arbitrum support positions Rootstock as interoperable rather than directly competing, but both target EVM developers seeking cheap execution.
Direct peers
- Stacks: The other major Bitcoin L2 offering smart contracts and DeFi functionality. Stacks competes head-to-head with Rootstock for Bitcoin-native developer mindshare and BTCFi applications, using Clarity smart contracts rather than EVM compatibility.
- Liquid Network (Blockstream): Bitcoin sidechain operated by Blockstream, focusing on Bitcoin transfer and issuance rather than smart contracts. Competes with Rootstock for institutional Bitcoin liquidity and trading applications, with a federated rather than merge-mined security model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RootstockLabs social profiles
Digital presenceRootstockLabs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RootstockLabs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
RootstockLabs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RootstockLabs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RootstockLabs
What does RootstockLabs do?
RootstockLabs builds and maintains Rootstock, a Bitcoin sidechain that combines Bitcoin's security through merged mining with Ethereum's EVM-compatible smart contract programmability. The company develops the PowPeg bridge, Atlas bridging interface, RIF infrastructure token, and institutional BTC/stablecoin yield vaults that together enable developers, fintechs, and institutions to deploy Bitcoin-secured decentralized finance applications.
Is RootstockLabs a public or private company?
RootstockLabs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RootstockLabs founded?
RootstockLabs was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is RootstockLabs based?
RootstockLabs is headquartered in Gibraltar, Gibraltar.
How does RootstockLabs make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Protocol Fees / Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are institutional Ecosystem Services and stablecoin Infrastructure.
Who are RootstockLabs's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Babylon, Citrea and Botanix Labs. Broad incumbents are Polygon, Solana, Optimism, Lightning Network and Arbitrum. Direct peers are Stacks and Liquid Network (Blockstream).
Does RootstockLabs have an API?
No public API is recorded for RootstockLabs.
What industry is RootstockLabs in?
RootstockLabs's product category is Bitcoin Layer 2 Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAEAB, Stablecoins & On-Chain Money (fiat-backed, crypto-backed, algorithmic; issuance/redemption), with a secondary code of FSAGAMAD, On-Chain Payments & Stablecoin Infrastructure (Issuance, Rails, Treasury). Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6200.